File drawer and compressor



Oct. 3, 1967 G. B. HAsBRoucK 3,344,795

FILE DRAWER AND COMPRESSOR Filed Deo. 30, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 3, 1967 G. B. HAsBRoUcK 3,344,795

FILE DRAWER AND COMPRESSOR Filed Dec. 30, 1965 .'5 Sheets-Sheet 2 62% 234 235\ I250 /L I4 J/225 2:4 lv

25/ 1 EE gg 250 l 225 i ,r==\ \235 t/f 23o" INVENTGK GEN E B. HASBROUCK MKM 0t- 3, 1967 G. B. HAsBRoucK 3,344,795

FILE DRAWER AND COMPRESSOR Filed Dec. 30, 1965 i 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 F I G. 7

INVENTOR GEN E B. HASBRUUGK United States Patent Oli ice 3,344,795 Patented Oct. 3, 1967 York Filed Dec. 30, 1965, Ser. No. 517,691 14 Claims. (Cl. 129-29) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In the present invention, a combination of drawer and locking means for the divider is disclosed, wherein the locking means is made up of a lever that is swingably supported on the drawer between two flanges. The lever is ixed to the divider. The lever has two rollers in a slot between the two ilanges. The ilanges are inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the drawer, so that when the lever is in normal position the two rollers are urged in the space between the two anges. When the lever is moved, the rollers move toward alignment with the aXis of the drawer and thus out of binding engagement with the anges.

This invention relates to enclosures having sliding partitions and, more particularly, to drawer compressors for use in tiling cabinet drawers.

The present invention discloses a locking arrangement in combination with a drawer compressor and tiling cabinet drawer, which overcomes many of the disadvantages of previous drawer compressors.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide an improved tiling cabinet drawer, drawer compressor, and locking arrangement therefor.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved locking arrangement to secure a partition relative to a wall.

Another object of the invention is to provide an irnproved drawer compressor and locking arrangement,

'which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and simple and elicient to use.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial longitudinal cross sectional view of one embodiment of the invention taken on line 1 1 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a lateral cross sectional view of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 taken on line 2 2 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross sectional view taken on line 3 3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged top view of an actuating member used in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3 of another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a lateral cross sectional View similar to FIG. 2 of a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the third embodiment taken on line 7 7 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged isometric view of the compressor shown in FIG. 7.

Now with more particular reference to the drawing, and particularly to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, a drawer is shown having a bottom 127 and sides 130 extending upwardly from the bottom 127. The sides may be considered walls. The drawer sides 130 are bent outwardly at 137, then upwardly in side 138, and terminate in a downwardly turned rim 132 of flange 131. Drawer strip 114 is attached to side 138. The drawer strip 114 may be welded or otherwise secured to the side 138 of the drawer, and the upper end of the drawer'strip 114 is nested between the llange 131 and the side 138. The lower end of the drawer strip 114 is turned in and forms a horizontal liange which has a sliding surface which supports the inwardly turned part 140 of the compressor glide 125.

The compressor glide 125, which is in reality a partition, is attached to the outer end of the compressor 110. The compressor glide is supported generally parallel to the drawer sides 136, and the outwardly turned parts of the compressor glide are attached to a clip 135, which is, in turn, Xed to the compressor 110.

The release lever 124 is pivoted to the compressor glide 125 at 123 and is urged to swing upwardly to the position indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4 by the U-shaped spring 115. The U-shaped spring rests its lower end on the flange 139 of the compressor glide, and its upper edge terminates in a hook 128. The release lever 124 has a handle 142, which may be engaged by the fingers of an operator to swing the'lever downward around the pivot 123 and thereby release the rollers 120 and 122 in a manner to be described hereinafter, It can also be engaged by an operating mechanism such as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The roller 120 has a knurled rough outer periphery, and the roller 122 has a smooth outer periphery. These rollers have a total diameter that is slightly greater than the distance between the ilange 139 of the compressor glide and the horizontally extending ilange of drawer strip 114.

The release lever 124 is a generally plate-like member with an otset portion that forms a groove 143 having straight parallel sides inclined to the vertical. This groove 143 has a width only slightly greater than the diameter of the rollers 120 and 122, so that they are freely supported therein. The length of the groove is only slightly --less than the sum of the diameters of the rollers 120 and 122. The sides of the groove make up the cam surfaces.

The embodiment of the compressor lock shown partly in FIG. 5 is similar generally to the embodiment shown in FIGS. l through 3. The drawer has sides 3% and flange 14. The compressor glide 25 has an outwardly struck pivot member 23, which is received in an opening 36 in the release lever 24. This provides a pivot about which the release lever 24 can swing. The release lever has the form spring 15 pushes it up and swings lever 24 about pivot 23.

When friction roller 13 engages ilange 14, any tendency of the compressor 10 to move back causes roller 13 to move up inclined surface 32 into contact with flange 14, thereby locking the roller between 14, 32, and 32.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, the drawer 227 has sides 230 which are each in the form of a plate disposed in generally vertical relation as in the other embodiments. The top edges of the sides are turned inward at 231, then downward at 232.

The drawer strips 214 are welded or otherwise attached to the sides 230, and the drawer strip 214 extends laterally at its lower end to form a horizontal support track 251 for the compressor glide 225. The intermediate part of the compressor glide 225 is turned outward at 250 forming a shoulder to slide on the ange 251.

The compressor 210 has a flat vertically extending platelike portion adapted to engage documents to be filed. The upper edge of the compressor is turned back as shown at 252. A channel 235 is fixed to each side of the compressor 210 and these channels receive the channel shaped lower part of the compressor glide 225.

A lever 258 made from a plate-like member bent as shown has ears 254 disposed at right angles thereto. These ears are pivotally attached to the channels 235 by studs 255. The flange 256 is disposed at an obtuse angle to a part of lever 258 and has buttons 259 made of a plastic material having a low coeflicient of friction, which move between crossbar 260 and the compressor when the compressor is locked.

Crossbar 260 is fixed at its ends to compressor glide 225. Leaf spring 261 is generally U-shaped and split at 262 and 263 forming two outer legs 264 and an inner leg 265, as well as main leg 266. The ends of main leg 266 are turned in and hook under Crossbar 260. The ends of outer legs 264 hook into a leg 267 attached to compressor 210. The intermediate leg 265 is curved upward and forward and slides on flange 256 urging it rearward.

A latch means, such as shown in FIG. l, is attached to each side of the crossbar 260. The handles 142 (FIG. 1) are engaged by lever edge 270 of lever 258. As lever 258 rotates rearward, edges 270 engage handles 142 and unlock the rollers 120 and 122 to provide manual positioning of the compressor against the drawer contents. Releasing the lever 258 locks the rollers.

A secondary (Vernier) compression of the drawer contents is provided by rotating 258 forward about pivots 255, which moves the compressor 210 forward. This position is held by outward force of spring 265 against 256.

A description of how the compressor unit functions is as follows:

Y LOCKING (Embodimenls of FIGS. 1-4 and 6-8) The force applied to the underside of the release lever 124 by spring 115 causes release lever to rotate counterclockwise about its pivot 123 and pick up knurled roller 120 at its contact point and any degree of force applied on the face of the compressor plate together with the spring force will cause roller 120 to continue to roll counterclockwise up the inclined surface toward the top of the plain roller 122. This action causes a pinching action on the drawer strip by the roller 120 and the underside of the upper flange of the compressor glide. Once the knurled roller 120 comes in contact with the drawer strip it will not slip in relation to the drawer strip due to the high degree of coefficient of Afriction of the surfaces while the slide will slip minutely, in relation to the drawer strip l114 because of the lesser degree of coefficient of friction, until the frictional forces at the surface of the drawer strip 114 become equal to or greater than the available force applied on the face of the compressor plate 110. At this time, the compressor is in a locked position with relation to the drawer and will not slip. More force applied to the compressor plate 110 will tighten the slide locking itself to the drawer strip due to the partial knee-action effect that is obtained from the rollers.

Very little force is required when applied at 142 or on rear of compressor to unlock the compressor unit from the drawer strip as the opposite action of the rollers takes place from the locking action just described.

Forward motion of compressor (tightening) is readily accomplished with rollers automatically relocking to prevent rearward rnotion. The compressor must be released 4 by application of light `force on handle 142 to move the compressor rearward.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 5, locking is accomplished when a force is exerted on the front side of the compressor 10. Thus the compressor tends to move toward the rear of the drawer carrying with it the release lever 24. The roller 20 which is supported above the inclined surface 32 is urged upward by the spring 15 so that roller 13 engages the underside of flange 14. This causes it to move up the inclined surface 32, thereby forcing the release lever 24 downward to the limit of pivot 23 at which point roller 20 is jammed between the inclined surface 32 and the ange 14 thereby restraining the compressor against further rearward movement.

UNLOCKING (Embodments of FIGS. 1-4 and 6-8) This action is as follows:

A small force applied on top to release lever on handle 142 will create a large force on roller 120 due to the ratio of mechanical advantage designed into the release lever. With roller l held by the high degree of frictional force created by its knurled surface on ange 127, it starts rotating counterclockwise driving roller 122 in a clockwise direction which causes roller 122 to roll away from the pivot point of the release lever until it comes in contact with the opposite side of the release lever. The plain roller can go no further but is still being driven by the roller 120, therefore, it must now start to slip due to the .plain roller being smoother than the knurled roller and having a lower degree of coeiiicient of friction. This action continues allowing the release lever to rotate clockwise about its pivot and all the time increasing the angle of the roller retainer until such time that roller 120 becomes free of contact with the drawer strip, and when this condition exists the compressor unit is then free. or unlocked from the drawer strip and can be moved or glided along the drawer strip to any desired position.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, when the handle 23 is moved downward against the force of spring 15, the lever 24 swings down thereby allowing the roller 13 to move away from the flange 14 and allowing the compressor 10, compressor glide 25, lever 24, and handle 23' to move toward the rear of the drawer.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

The embodiment of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed .are defined as follows:

1. In combination, a wall and a partition disposed in generally perpendicular relation thereto,

latch means,

said latch means comprising a leverswingably supported on said partition,

a flange lixed to said wall,

said lever having a cam surface thereon spaced from said ange,

and a roller supported on said cam surface between said cam surface and said flange,

said cam surface being inclined toward said flange,

the periphery of said roller being in frictional engagement with said cam surface and said flange whereby said roller rolls on said cam surface away from said flange when said partition is pushed in .a first direction,

and said roller rolls on said cam surface toward said flange when said partiti-on is pushed in a second direction whereby said partition is locked relative to said wall, said cam surface comprising a slot in said lever, a flange on said compressor having a surface parallel to said flange on said drawer, said slot being S Y inclined relative to said ange, and means in said slot engaging said roller, urging said roller into frictional engagement with said cam surface.

2. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said wall comprises the side wall of ,a file drawer and said partition comprises a drawer compressor.

3. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said lever is swiugably supported on said compressor `by means of a pivot member thereon received in an opening in said flange on said compressor,

a part of said inclined surface on said lever is disposed betweensaid pivot member and said flange.

4. The combination recited in claim 3 wherein a handle is attached to the distal end of said lever,

and a spring on said compressor urges said lever to swing toward said fiange on said wall.

5. In combination, a Wall and ,a partition disposed in generally perpendicular relation thereto,

latch means,

said latch means comprising a lever swingably supported on said partition,

a flange fixed to said wall,

said lever having a cam surface thereon spaced from said ange,

and a roller supported on said cam surface between said cam surface and said ange,

said cam surface being inclined toward said flange,

the periphery of said roller being in frictional engagement with said cam surface and said flange whereby said roller rolls on said cam surface away from said flange when said partition is pushed in a first direction,

and said roller rolls on said cam surface toward said flange when said partition is pushed in a second direction whereby said partition is locked relative to said wall,

said wall comprising the side wall of a file drawer and said partition comprising a drawer compressor,

said cam surface comprising a slot in said lever,

a flange on said compressor having a surface parallel to said flange on said drawer side,

said slot being inclined relative to said flanges,

two said rollers in said slot,

said two rollers having a total diameter substantially greater than the distance between said flanges whereby when said lever swings on said compressor in a first direction said slot assumes a position more nearly parallel to said flanges.

6. The combination recited in claim 5 wherein one said roller has a relatively smooth outer peripheral surface and the other said roller has a relatively rough outer peripheral surface.

7. A drawer having parallel sides, a bottom, and ,a

front, Y

a slidably supported compressor on said sides,

a drawer strip supported on each said side and extending inwardly therefrom,

each said drawer strip having a relatively at downwardly facing surface,

a compressor glide fixed to each side of said compressor,

each said compressor glide having a surface disposed in a plane generally parallel to the surface of said drawer slide,

said drawer strips each defining a space between it and a said compressor glide,

a lever swingably attached to .a said compressor glide at each side of said compressor and disposed between a said drawer strip and a compressor glide,

a slot in each said lever inclined relative to said surfaces on said anges,

and a roller means in each of said slots,

said roller means having a total diameter greater than the distance between said drawer strip land said compresser glide measured along said slot when said slot is swung to an extreme position.

8. The combination recited in claim 7 wherein a spring is supported on `said compressor and engages said lever and urges said lever to swing to bring said slot more nearly perpendicular to said flanges.

9. The combination recited in claim 8 wherein said roller means comprises `a disk shaped roller having a relatively smooth peripheral surface and a disk shaped roller having a relatively rough peripheral surface,

said slot extending toward the front of said drawer and toward said flange on said side.

- 10. A drawer having spaced sides, a bottom, a and a compressor slidably supported thereon,

a drawer slide .attached to each said side and having a generally horizontally disposed lower surface,

a compressor glide comprising a plate-like member having a relatively flat surface disposed generally perpendicular to each said flat surface on said drawer slides,

a plate-like lever disposed in parallel relation to each said compressor glide,

pivot means supporting each said lever on a said compressor glide, and spaced from said flange on said drawer slide,

a cam surface on each said lever spaced from said drawer slide and inclined toward said drawer slide,

a roller Imeans supported on said cam surface and adapted to engage said drawer slide when said cornpressor is pushed toward said rear and to move away from said drawer slide when said compressor is moved toward said front, said cam surface comprising a slot in said lever, a flange in said compressor having a surface parallel to said flange on said drawer, said slot being inclined relative to said flange, and means in said slot engaging said roller, urging said roller into frictional engagement with said cam surface.

11. In combination, a wall and a partition disposed in generally perpendicular relation thereto,

latch means,

said latch means comprising a lever swingably supported on said partition,

a flange fixed to said wall,

said lever having a cam surface thereon spaced from said flange,

and a roller supported on said cam surface between said cam surface and said flange,

said cam surface being inclined toward said flange,

the periphery of said roller being in frictional engagement with said cam surface and said flange whereby said roller rolls on said cam surface away from said fiange when said partition is pushed in a first direction,

and -said roller rolls on said cam surface toward said flange when said partition is pushed in a second direction whereby said partition is locked relative to said wall, p

two said walls being provided in generally parallel relation,

said partition extends therebetween,

a cross bar is disposed between said walls,

slidable means slidably supporting said cross bar on said walls,

a leaf spring supported on said cross bar,

said leaf spring being split forming two outer legs, an

inner leg and a main leg,

the ends of said main leg being turned in and hooked under said cross bar,

said intermediate leg being curved upward and forward and adapted to slide on said slidable support means whereby said slidable means is urged away from said compressor when said compressor is locked relative to said walls.

12. In combination, a wall and a partition disposed in generally perpendicular relation thereto,

latch means,

front,

said latch means comprising a lever swingably supported on said partition,

a ange xed to said wall,

said lever having a cam surface thereon spaced from said ilange,

and a roller supported on said cam surface between said cam surface and said flange,

said cam surface being inclined toward said ange,

the periphery of said roller being in frictional engagement with said cam surface and said flange whereby said roller rolls lon said cam surface away Ifrom said ange when said partition is pushed in ra first direction,

and said roller rolls on said -carn surface toward said flange when said partition is pushed in a second direction whereby said partition is locked relative to said wall,

two said walls being disposed in spaced relation to each other,

said compressor extends between said walls,

a mechanism is slidably supported on said walls,

resilient means connecting said mechanism to said compressor,

said mechanism'having primary means thereon to position said compressor relative to said walls,

said mechanism having secondary means thereon for forcing said compressor in a direction perpendicular to said walls.

13.1The combination recited in claim 11 wherein said compressor has a rotatable member thereon engageable with said cam lever.

14. The combination recited in claim 12 wherein said compressor has a rotatable member thereon engageable with said cam lever.

References Cited Y UNITED STATES PATENTS 924,690 6/ 1909 Sampson 129-29 2,560,428 7/ 1951 VFosberg 129-29 2,607,352 8/1952 Dunlap 129-30 2,887,352 5/1959 Ruddell et `al 312-301 2,926,979 3/1960 Lang S12-301 3,073,314 1/1963 Machingo et al. 129-29 FOREIGN PATENTS 105,197 8/ 1942 Sweden.

DAVID I. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

JAMES T. MCCALL, Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A WALL AND A PARTION DISPOSED IN GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR RELATION THERETO, LATCH MEANS, SAID LATCH MEANS COMPRISING A LEVER SWINGABLY SUPPORTED ON SAID PARTITION, A FLANGE FIXED TO SAID WALL, SAID LEVER HAVING A CAM SURFACE THEREON SPACED FROM SAID FLANGE, AND A ROLLER SUPPORTED ON SAID CAM SURFACE BETWEEN SAID CAM SURFACE AND SAID FLANGE, SAID CAM SURFACE BEING INCLINED TOWARD SAID FLANGE, THE PERIPHERY OF SAID ROLLER BEING IN FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CAM SURFACE AND SAID FLANGE WHEREBY SAID ROLLER ROLLS ON SAID CAM SURFACE AWAY FROM SAID FLANGE WHEN SAID PARTITION IS PUSHED IN A FIRST DIRECTION, AND SAID ROLLER ROLLS ON SAID CAM SURFACE TOWARD SAID FLANGE WHEN SAID PARTITION IS PUSHED IN A SECOND DIRECTION WHEREBY SAID PARTITION IS LOCKED RELATIVE TO SAID WALL, SAID CAM SURFACE COMPRISING A SLOT IN SAID LEVER, A FLANGE ON SAID COMPRESSOR HAVING A SURFACE PARALLEL TO SAID FLANGE ON SAID DRAWER, SAID SLOT BEING INCLINED RELATIVE TO SAID FLANGE, AND MEANS IN SAID SLOT ENGAGING SAID ROLLER, URGING SAID ROLLER INTO FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CAM SURFACE. 